Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jason Harvey, who writes:
Just thought I’d share, I’ve seen the bandaid dial scale mod for the D-220 to help with tuning. Not sure if anyone else has been able to mod the actual dial marker yet to make it more visible on the orange D-220 though, but it’s really not hard if you’re used to working on electronics. I just pulled the 2” plastic dial “string” out of mine after removing the back and lifting the circuit board, painted the front tab black, and reinstalled it in reverse. The end of the “string” has a tiny tab that just plugs into the front of the tuning pot cover, and when reseating the board it all slips back into place with a little guidance. This is made easier if you leave the tuning pot in the same spot it’s in when you lift the board, which one should note when they start.
[…] I came across this video that describes modding the XHDATA D-220 dial for better visibility.
Watching the video and the machinations one has to go through to get to the dial pointer are tenuous. Getting it back together is a roll of the dice. Of course then, in frustration, you can buy a black colored model.
Hi Dennis,
Sorry it seems laborious and a roll of the dice to get it back together. I found it an extremely straightforward process, once everything is apart. I had no problem getting the pointer back in exactly as I took it out. If you need any support or have any questions, feel free to ask here.
Jason
Would it be easier to remove the plastic dial glass from the front panel and then use a Sharpie pen to paint the dial needle indicator a color that contrast well against the orange background on the D-220 orange model? I bought an orange D-220 to make it easier to find in the dark; the internal LED makes the case glow nicely!
My reason for getting the Orange also.
Hi Ed.,
It’s an interesting question. If the dial cover could be heated or the glue otherwise dissolved, it may be easy to do. However, I wouldn’t discourage you from opening it up as described by me and in the video, it’s a straightforward process and avoids physical damage to the radio.
Jason
Two comments. First, The use of a spudger, a flexible flat blade, much wider than a slotted screw driver, to pry on the case to remove the circuit board, would have made the job a bit easier. Second, the dial marker issue issue is not a factor on the D-220 with the black case, as the dial marker is orange on a black background, with a silver surround. Buy the D-220 with the black case, if it is available.
Hi David, thanks for your comment. This is not my video, I found it on Youtube and used it for guidance on this matter. A spudger certainly could be useful to lift the circuit board after removing the 4 screws, to assist with clearing the tuning and/or volume wheel and 1/8” jack from their slots in the case. Spudgers always come in handy for situations like this! I happily own an orange D-220, so this information is directed to other owners of the orange model. Feel free to ignore this information if you own a black or green model that may already have a contrasting color background to the radio dial.